In a crime straight out of a Bollywood action-drama, a disc jockey in Uttar Pradesh was shot dead allegedly after he refused to play a song from the 2013 film Bullett Raja at a birthday party, according to reports.

The incident occured on Monday night at the Sidhauli village under Meerganj police station in Bareilly district, a Hindustan Times report quoted the police as saying.

The DJ, 32-year-old Arun Kumar Valmiki, was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Local businessman Ajay Gupta had hired Valmiki to play at his daughter's birthday party. As is custom in many semi-urban townships of India's hinterland, people were shooting guns in the air as part of the celebrations. Eyewitnesses said that Valmiki was asked by the suspect who allegedly shot him to play the song 'Tamanche pe disco' from the film.

When Valmiki refused, the suspect, named as Ashu by the police, allegedly fired at his chest and fled the scene immediately afterwards. Further investigations are on.